Phnom Penh, CAMBODIA, 30 July 2013 – Mothers and their newborns, and children under five in the most deprived areas of Cambodia will benefit from interventions to improve their health thanks to funding of US$3.4 million from the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) under a joint partnership with the UN children’s agency, UNICEF.

Over the next three years, the funds will be used by UNICEF to contribute to the achievement of the Royal Government of Cambodia’s Health Strategic Plan 2 (HSP2) 2008-2015, by improving access to essential maternal and newborn health and better family care practices, and improving the nutritional status of women and children in 14 health operational districts in the provinces of Kratie, Stung Treng, Rattanak Kiri, Mondul Kiri, Kampong Thom, Preas Vihear, Kampong Speu and Phnom Penh.

Although Cambodia is on track to reach its Millennium Development Goal 4 to reduce child mortality, levels in Cambodia remain high by regional standards. Every day, an estimated 50 children under the age of 5 die mainly from preventable and treatable diseases, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia. Three out of 4 newborn deaths occur in their first week of life, especially during the first day, largely due to complications at birth and lack of postpartum care. In the poorest and most marginalized communities children are three times more likely to die before the age of 5 than a child in urban Phnom Penh.

At the signing ceremony for the partnership agreement, KOICA Representative in Cambodia, Dr. Shin Eui Cheol said, “This unique partnership allows us to effectively assist Cambodia in tackling one of the most difficult challenges by combining Korea’s financial and human resources with UNICEF expertise”.

Welcoming the partnership, UNICEF Representative in Cambodia, Rana Flowers said, “This financial contribution will improve the health status of all children but especially the most vulnerable newborns and their families living in high risk villages including mobile, ethnic minority, remote and poor populations. This partnership combines our technical and strategic strengths to increase both the supply of and demand for quality health care as well as accelerate the implementation of high impact maternal, newborn and child health services where they are most needed.”

The KOICA/UNICEF partnership will support the expansion - especially in high risk villages - of evidence-based and cost-effective interventions including training of health workers to strengthen care and referral mechanisms, low-cost outreach and community-based programmes; delivery by skilled birth attendants; birth preparedness to detect complications and danger signs during pregnancy; provision of immediate post-partum care; timely and quality counseling and referral to and among health facilities for families with newborns and young children; routine use of Health Information System (HIS) data to plan and provide health services in the community; promotion and dissemination of information on appropriate practices for mothers to seek treatment and referral for sick children.

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KOICA

The Korea International Cooperation Agency was founded in April 1991 under the wing of the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of Korea. As a government organization for managing the Korean government's grant aid in developing countries, KOICA aims to facilitate socio-economic development of its partner countries and promote cooperative relations between Korea and developing countries around the world. For more information about KOICA and its work in Cambodia visit http://www.koicacambodia.org/.

UNICEF

UNICEF works in more than 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work in Cambodia visit www.unicef.org.kh